Metallic Wings
by Hossyboy
Summary: She's deranged. She's a criminal. She's bloodthirsty. She's disturbing. That's what Cyborg wishes mattered. But all he sees, all he hears, all he feels is that she's beautiful. That she's loyal. That she's kind. That she's important. And then there's everything in between. The anger, the loneliness, the loss. He sees it all, just beneath those haunting, golden Tengu eyes.


Chapter One:

"Will you go with me?"  
"Huh?" Roxy said as she was broken from her revere by her best friend, Amber.  
"Rox!" Amber snapped, her fiery eyebrows knitting together in frustration. "I'm trying to be serious here Roxy! Stop drifting off!" Amber hissed before casting a weary glance over her shoulder. Confused by the paranoid action Roxy also glanced around at the people drifting through the park, searching for any glances shot at the two girls sitting on the park bench. When she found none her gaze returned to her unusually nervous friend.  
"You okay?" Roxy snorted in derision.  
"That's what I'm trying to tell you!" Amber growled, her usually cheery face replaced by a scowl. Again Amber glanced around before lowering her voice. "I owe this guy some money." Amber whispered so quietly Roxy had to lean in to catch her words.  
For a moment neither girl said a word, then when Roxy realized her best friend was finished she burst into laughter. Ambers face paled before she huffed angrily. At this Roxy had another fit of giggles.  
"What? Are you serious?" Roxy laughed.  
"Yes!" Amber hissed.  
"Then why don't take the money to him?" Roxy snapped, tired of her friends bad attitude.  
"But Rox-"  
"No, you shouldn't have borrowed it. I'm not paying for your slip ups!" Roxy quickly cut her off.  
"No Roxy, you don't understand!" Amber sighed before leaning in close to Roxy's ear. "I owe the Fang." Amber whispered then quickly leaned back.  
A second passed before Roxy turned to her friend, her eyes searching for the laughter in Ambers eyes. When she didn't Roxy turned to stare straight ahead. Amber grew anxious as she watched Roxy  
"Rox-"  
"What in the hell were you thinking?" Roxy snarled, turning on Amber like a coiled viper. "Dealing with the Fang are you an idiot?!" Roxy noticed a couple staring at the wide eyes from their picnic and leapt to her feet. "Whatcha starin at?! Something wrong with yer eyes?!" Roxy shouted before yanking Amber up and stomping of towards a cluster of trees, Amber in tow. Once safely hidden Roxy turned to face Amber, arms crossed and features livid. "Explain." Roxy said in an barely contained manner.  
"W-well you see I was at this party and this cute guy offered to share a joint and I accepted. Did I mention he was really cute?" A heated glare quickly answered Amber. "U-um so I accepted, blah blah, he works for the Fang and I owe him one hundred and twenty dollars."  
"How much did you fucking smoke?!" Roxy hissed, her whole body trembling with barely contained rage.  
"I can't remember." Amber admitted.  
"Well do you have the money?" Roxy sighed, releasing as much anger as possible with the exhalation.  
"Yes." Amber mumbled, head bowed as if she were a freshly scorned child. "I wanted to know if you'd come with me. You know how to deal with gang thugs, you know, from being one and all."  
"I told you to stay away from the gangs!" Roxy sighed in exhaustion. Then looked into her friends bright green eyes and felt her heart melt a little. "Fine." She grumbled and rocked back on her heels, shoving her hands into her cargo pants front pockets. With a squeal Amber leapt forward and wrapped her arms around her best friend.  
"And if anything goes wrong you can get us out!" Amber giggled, making Roxy roll her eyes.  
"Ya, ya, Okay. Now get off me." Roxy laughed and shook off Ambers arms.  
"C'mon then." Amber smiled and tugged the taller girl along.  
"Geez, how long have I been getting you out of trouble?" Roxy teased as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her black sleeveless hoody.  
"Since the day we first met!" Amber laughed and wove her arm through Roxy's. Lazily the pair made their way through the park.  
"That was what, eleven years ago?" Roxy asked slowing her pace so Ambers short legs could keep up.  
"Yep!" Amber cheered. A few moments passed and Ambers smile slowly slipped away. "Rox are we really going to go away after this?"  
"The moment you turn eighteen." Roxy said before sending Amber a small reassuring smile. Her eyes staring ahead, into their future.  
"But won't the Talon come after you?" Amber asked, her brows coming together in worry.  
"Yes, but I already have the powers." Roxy's face drifted into her infamous scowl she wore normally. "Chang will eventually grow tired of me and take my powers, killing me. So either way I can die. But If I run I might live."  
"You mean we?" Amber chirped and tugged on Roxy's arm to get her attention. Amber's eyes glowed like her own personal suns, shedding warmth and kindness. And like the sunflower Roxy reached out to capture some of her best friends glory.  
But a shadow loomed in Roxy's mind, blocking Ambers light causing the sunflower to quickly wither. "Are you sure? You can get out now, live a normal life here in jump city." Roxy said and gestured to the area around them. Mighty oaks groaned and moaned as the breeze stirred them to life, ferns and brushes rustled, a chorus of sound. It was the only place Roxy could stand in the whole city, she hated the city's foul stench and loud noises. In the park she could pretend she was hidden safely away with Amber, but only for a few moments. Her next assignment never far away.  
"It wouldn't be my life without you in it." Amber whispered and released Roxy, for a moment they walked in silence. Then Roxy silently bowed her head and placed a loving kiss on the crown of Ambers head, never a falter in her step.  
"Same here." Roxy breathed. Another breeze swept past and Roxy snorted in disgust. Her highly sensitive nose picked up on all the city smells; waste, fumes, sickness, and blood. The streets always smelled of blood dried beneath the sun. The horrid smells spark invisible story's open only to her. Story's she wished she couldn't smell, couldn't hear, couldn't see.  
The calm, peaceful demeanor Roxy had gave way to a closed and guarded one. She hated the city. Not that she knew anything else. With a irritated growl Roxy yanked on her hood and placed a half mask on her face to filter out most of the smells.  
Amber also seemed to change as the city came into sight. She grew antsy and paranoid again. Her minty green eyes searching the street for unseen enemy's.  
"Don't trust me?" Roxy's voice came out muffled but Amber could still hear the teasing in her tone.  
"Course I do." Amber assured but still her eyes moved up and down the street. "Come on, this way." Amber huffed and joined the convoy of people moving along the sidewalk. Silently Roxy obeyed.  
Quietly Amber wove through the crowd and paused at the mouth of a dark narrow alley. As soon as Roxy reached Ambers side the redhead stepped into the darkness, her "bodyguard" on her heels.  
Roxy's eyes instantly adjusted to the shadows, reminding her of her masters ominous words. Those that kill in the dark, die in the dark.  
She glanced over at Amber, who stood blind, blinking furiously. Waiting for her human eyes to adjust to the sudden change.  
'She shouldn't be here' Roxy thought.  
"Glad to see you could join us Amber." A voice rang out from the shadows, menacing and dark. Shifting off the wall, a tall lean man stepped forward. His high cheekbones tattooed with the outline of a wolves fangs.  
Roxy bristled at the sight, her eyes narrowing on the other Fang hiding in the darker part of the alley. These were serious Fang members, every enforced instinct in her screamed for their blood.  
"Who's your friend Amber?" The tall Fang cooed, his small beady eyes tracing Roxy's form. The urge to claw out his eyes grew overwhelming.  
"Uh Rox's this is Spike, Spike this is Roxy." Amber mumbled, her eyes fearful as she looked to Roxy.  
"Let's get this over with." Roxy growled and crossed her arms. Her senses were going haywire, she could barely keep her wings contained. Her nails though bit into the skin of her forearms, drawing blood.  
"Are your eyes glow-" Spike was cut off by the wail of sirens and he reached for his gun instinctively. Thousands of methods for killing him flashed through her mind but she went for simple, the snapping of the vertebrae. Before Spike could turn his head back to look, Roxy had ahold of him. With little effort she twisted his skull and a satisfying snap tickled her ears.  
By the time she lifted her gaze to find the other Fang she already knew how she was going to kill him. Until metallic click echoed from behind her. Slowly she turned to face her nightmare come to life.  
Wolf, a very high ranking member of the Fang held a fistful of Ambers hair in his hand, his gun pressed against her best friends side. His sneer revealed a set of sharply filed teeth and a long blood red tongue. Panic, fear, disgust, anguish, and guilt all curdled in her stomach before she brushed it all away. Leaving her emotionless and focused, no one ever lived when she became this way.  
"Don't move or I kill her Tengu." Wolf snarled and began backing away, dragging a sobbing Amber with him.  
Roxy predicted his next move and remained still and watched for his tell sign. The twitch of a finger, lip biting, flicker of the eyes. Anything that could prepare her. He would aim for her heart and she would let him believe he hit her.  
His pinky twitched on the shaft of the gun giving her a second to lean before the gunshot rang out.  
The bullet bit deep into her shoulder, but her hand flew to her chest. Then Wolf was on the run, he easily picked Amber up and ran out of the alley.  
Roxy broke into a run, pushing her long legs to the max. Near the end of the alley two inky black wings shot from matching cuts in the back of Roxy's sleeveless hoodie. The she was airborne, she skimmed over the heads of pedestrians as she appeared from the alley. Startled they gave shouts of confusion and stopped to look. But Roxy ignored them, her eyes desperate for the fiery red mane of Amber. Roxy spotted her being shoved into another alley by Wolf fifteen feet away. She beat her wings furiously and gained altitude until she was just above the buildings. Peering down into the alley she saw Wolf glance over his shoulder, she took the chance. Tucking her wings in she dove into the alley, just above their heads. Roxy gave a soul piercing screech, buying her time.  
Roxy slammed into Wolf, throwing him to the ground. Amber began to fall as well but Roxy straightened her before turning her attention back to the dazed Wolf. Stepping forward she placed her army boot on his face and purred in satisfaction as his skull gave way beneath her foot. Wolf stilled and his dark blood began to ooze out onto the filthy alley concrete. Roxy watched for a moment before turning to Amber who stood shivering, eyes wide with shock.  
"R-Roxy!" Amber let out a shuddering breath of relief and smiled.  
For the first time in her in life Roxy felt choked for words, tears brimmed her eyes and she opened her arms to envelop Amber. "Am-Amber." She choked out as she closed the distance between them.  
Gunfire rang out. Amber collapsed in a heap on the ground, her smile frozen to her face. Roxy stood looking down at Amber, her smile still on her face. Slowly her brain placed the pieces together and Roxy's smile fell from her face.  
With a loud thud she fell other knees and pulled Ambers bloody body into her lap, her strawberry blond hair was matted and stained a darker color. She felt Ambers body shudder with each drowning breath she took.  
Roxy's eyes lifted to see Madame Chi standing a few feet away. Gun in hand. She had an inkling that she should be angry, that she should be attacking. But both her brain and her body were numb and unresponsive.  
"Master let you keep that insolent pet but then you had to go and get bold. Tsk, tsk. No matter, now you know there's no escape. Master Chang owns you. Did you really think you'd escape into the night with her so easily?" The woman began to laugh, but it fell on deaf ears. Roxy stood with Amber limp in her arms and began walking. "Hey are you listening?" Madame Chi snarled and reached for Roxy. A threatening snarl made Madame Chi pause before she pulled her hand back. "Fine bitch, learn the hard way. Be at the nest before midnight." With that Madame Chi disappeared into the shadows. Roxy heard nothing, she continued walking forward careful not to jostle Amber. Her breaths softening with each step.  
Roxy stepped into the blinding light, burning white.  
"Help her!" Roxy heard someone scream then realized it was her, her voice torn and hoarse. Other frightened screams rose up but Roxy couldn't see the people, the sun too bright in her eyes. How ironic.  
"Back up." A lulling voice commanded and Roxy felt two large hands on her shoulders gently pushing her back. The shadows engulfed her one more, and she could see once more.  
Instinctively she leapt away from the enemies she had known all her life and never met. The teen titans, the people she's been trained to hate, trained to kill. She should flee, she should attack. And she would've it wasn't for the body in her hands. The only person that could ever tether her to the ground, she would give up her own wings to see Amber open her eyes again. Only Amber could keep her from giving into the animalistic instincts she had.  
"Wait we are her to help!" The alien Titan shouted and flew closer towards Roxy. The others began to move forward as well. Roxy bristled but kept herself from bolting. Instead she did something that just screamed wrong. She lifted Amber up, to offer to them. To proud to actually ask for their help. The Titan named Cyborg stepped forward and lifted Amber from her arms. With the utmost gentleness he lay Amber down and began to check for vital signs. His inner machines humming quietly as they worked.  
Roxy watched all of them through narrowed eyes, every part of her blaring warning sirens. Every trained instinct shouting for her to make the first move while she had the chance. She watched their leader and the goth one the most, the quiet ones always had the most up their sleeves. Then the cyborg lifted his head and Roxy's gaze jumped back to him.  
A coldness sunk into her skin at his grim face, his good eye filled with an emotion she despised. Pity. He opened his mouth but she already knew what he had to say.  
"She's dead." She'd known, a little part of her had always known. Her heart had known, known just before it died. Died with her only friend in the world, the sister she'd never see smile again.  
Silently she approached Amber as the cyborg scooted away. She kneeled next to her best friend and reached down to touch her face. Gently, Amber was the only person she was ever gentle with, she closed those dull green eyes. Never would they open for her again. Then she leapt to her feet and kicked out at the cyborg.  
Cyborg scrambled back just in time, her boot inches from his face. Roxy never paused, as her foot hit the ground she released the smoke pellets and filled the alley with artificial smoke. Then she broke into a run, her wings already unraveling behind her. Then she was airborne. Then she was gone.


End file.
